Tonya sat alone in her room, her legs crossed on her bed, staring at her hardwood floor. She was terrified to look up. Every time she was home alone it was the same thing. Sit alone, hope you don’t see anything, and pray you survive until mom and dad come home. Her left eye always twitched when she was nervous. Always nervous, always twitching.

Her hands clutched her lavender quilt desperately, trying to keep her breathing in check. The softness of the blanket was comforting. It was safe, familiar. Something that could not allow the horrors to get her.

A tear dripped from their ducts, traveling down the bridge of Tonya’s nose, and onto the floor. Her parents had left an hour ago for a three hour minimum trip to run errands, leaving her alone in the house.

Tonya had locked all the doors, the windows. Even her own door was shut.

Around her, posters of her favorite bands and pop artists looked down at her, curious about why she always acted like this.

The door to her room slowly creaked open. Her left eye twitched violently. Tonya let out a terrified sob, knowing this day would come eventually. She should have pleaded with all her life to go to a friends house, or to run errands with her mom and dad. Seventeen was just far too young for her to die like this.

Slowly, almost bravely, Tonya raised her head to see what stood in her doorway.

And then wished she hadn’t.